Interlocking guardrail brace



June 15, 1936. R- P, CLARKSQN 2,044,060

INTERLOCKING GUARDRAIL BRAQE "Filed Aug. 22,. 1934 Patented June 16, 1936 U N I TED STAT ES' This invention relates to improvements in interlocking guard rail braces for employment with railway track structures at vehicle vcrossings -and the like where it is desiredv to protect the pavement or the rlll between' the-track rails and tomaintain the wheel flangeway clear from encroachment or obstruction by thepavement or the ll materials.

An object of the present invention'is to provide a support adapted to receive a guard rail or the like and support same independently of the main rail without direct contact with the latter, thus permitting motion, such as weaving, of the main rail without material movement of the guard rail which, if it occurred, might disturb the lill.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a guard rail brace adapted to rmly secure the guard rail and yet permit various spacings of same from the main rail and, if desired, to permit removal of the main rail Without disturbing the crossing.

A still further object is to provide a two part guard rail brace wherein the chair or main support member may be set in position, the rail placed, and the interlocking clamping member thereafter set up and made fast.

Further objects include the production of a brace structure of simplified construction and having features that materially contribute to economy in manufacture and installation and which possesses marked commercial advantages over structures of a similar purpose heretofore employed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction described in the specication and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the particular embodiment of my invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend no limitations other than those of the claims when fairly interpreted in the light of the full disclosure and the present state of the art. Referring now to the accompanying drawing which is furnished solely for illustrative purposes,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional View through the track structure and guard member, illustrating a preferred method of supporting the latter independently of the main rail;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the assembled supporting members, the guard rail being omitted;

Figs. r3 and :4-are'felevationali views'v of 'the -two parts 'ofthe supportjFig, 3illustratingthemainW member or 'chair' and Fig.` 4rillustratingtlelsec Y cndary or clampingmember. Bothv members areA commonly calledbrackets." Y 4 Like'reference characters refer to correspondV ing parts inallth'e views.

Referring to thefillustrationsgf and.' more par-"f ticularly'to 1, aimairfsrail -I "is indicated normally rests on a tie, indicated by the base line in Fig. l. Substantially parallel to the main rail I may be placed a guard rail or member 2 which may be any rolled section but is usually a piece of scrap rail of a light section. Guard member 15 2 is supported on a brige II forming a portion of main support bracket or chair 3 which rests independently on and may be spiked to the tie,

as provided by extended base flanges 'I, 'I, a portion of the base normally being braced against 20 the tie plate S as at I4, clearance from the main rail being provided, as indicated at I2 and from the tie plate as at I5. The main web of support bracket 3, preferably of channel section with double vertical web, may and preferably does 25 shape to the section of the guard member 2, as shown at I3.

A second or interlocking clamping support member or bracket 4 is provided with an extended base portion 6 adapted to independently rest on 30 and be spiked to the tie. The clamping support bracket 4, preferably of channel section also and shaped to the section of the guard member used, as indicated at I0, interlocks With main support bracket 3 as by side wings 8, for example. 35

In use at road crossings, for example, a plurality of main support brackets or chairs 3 may be placed as desired on the ties and fastened, usually by spikes, in position clear of and at the desired distance from the main rail. A guard rail, 40 as 2, may be set on the bridges of the brackets as II, the clamping bracket 4 of each support may then be set up, interlocking as by Wings 8, 8, with the already iixed main support member 3, and arranged to clamp the guard rail between the 45 fitted portions S3 and I0. Support bracket 4 may then be fastened in position, as by spiking, and the iill 5 thrown in. This permits the roadway to be built up to the height of the main rail.

It is apparent that physical movement of the 50 main rail, caused by the passage of rolling stock on the rail, may take place Without disturbance of the fill. Moreover, if the guard rail needs replacement, it may be removed without resetting of the main support brackets 3 by removal of 55 only the clamping support brackets 4. Still further, new main rail may be laid without disturbing the crossing.

What I claim is:

1. In a track structure the combination with a track rail and a guard member of supporting members for the latter comprising a main bracket member provided with an elevated bearing support for reception of the guard member and having a base ange portion adapted for securing the bracket to a tie independently of the track rail, a clamping member provided with a portion which ts around the guard member and with means to interlock with said main bracket member and means to fasten said clamping member to. the tie independently of the said main bracket member, whereby said guard member may be removed by removal of said clamping member without disturbing said main bracket member.

2. In a track structure, the combination with a track rail, supporting ties, and tie-plates therefor, and a guard member, of a support for said guard member comprising two interlocking parts,

each of said parts having a flanged bearing portion for bearing support upon a tie and means to secure each of said parts to the tie, one of said parts being provided with a recess for a tie-plate and'having an elevated bridge portion on which said guard member rests, and the other said part provided with a portion which ts around the guard member and clamps it on said elevated bridge portion.

3. In a track structure the combination of a track rail and a guard member in more or less parallel relation to the track rail and independent thereof, of a two part interlocking bracket for said guard member, one of said parts being provided with an elevated bridge support for said guard member, each of said parts being provided with a flanged bearing portion for bearing support upon atie, and means to fasten each part independently to the tie.

4. A guard rail support member comprising a pair of bracket members, each of said members being provided with flanged bearing means for support upon a tie, means to fasten each part separately to the tie, one of said members having an elevated bridge portion for the support of a guard rail or the like, and means integral with the other member to interlock said members.

5. In a track structure, the combination with a track rail of a two part interlocking guard rail brace comprising a member provided with a bearing opening for reception of a guard member and a clamping member provided with means integral therewith to interlock with said first member and means to secure each of said members to a tie independently of the other member.

RALPH P. CLARKSON. 

